15 Harvest Festival (1/2)
Editor: Crembo
-Afternoon, Human Village-
-Me POV-
”Don't worry, don't worry, you're gonna be okay, we're gonna be out soon, just hang on tight.” I said.
”*Hic* I want to see mommy *Hic*.” Whined the kid beside me.
”Calm down, it's okay, we're gonna be out soon, just hang on tight.” I assured the kid.
”*Sniff* Okay….*Hic*.” the kid sniffled.
And with that, I continued my climb up through the well while cradling a boy in my left arm.
It started when I was on my way to Reimu's place. I saw a bunch of housewives with their children near the well, they were washing their clothes with the well water. I planned to just ignore them and keep walking but once the housewives saw me, they started whispering.
When they started doing that, I had a bad feeling about which topics they would discuss while whispering. I still planned to ignore them and pass them by, but unfortunately I did hear their whispering. It went like this:
”Doesn't that teenager look like the person in that Tengu Newspaper?”
”Looks like it, you think the contents of that newspaper are true?”
”I don't know, usually that newspaper exaggerates things, right? Maybe he's not that bad.”
”But he was chasing a goddess, what kind of person would chase a goddess around on a mountain.”
'…If you're whispering, then whisper properly damnit, I can hear you people talking without even trying.' I complained.
Even though it annoyed me, I couldn't be mad at them. In the first place, it was that Tengu's fault, she just had to notice us and then take a picture while I was chasing Hina…
But, if I think further, the chase wouldn't have happened if I just hadn't started singing. Wouldn't that make me the original cause of this situation?
*sigh* I sighed, 'Even though I already explained what actually happened to Reimu and Akyuu, other people are just gonna take me as a mere pervert.'
After thinking that, I became dispirited. My mood dampened as I walked through those ”whispering” housewives on my path toward Reimu's place.
Then, at that exact moment, I heard a scream from behind me.
”BONTA!”
I looked back and saw one of the housewives screaming at the well.
”BONTA!” she started to look around, ”SOMEONE HELP! MY CHILD! MY CHILD FELL INTO THE WELL! PLEASE, SOMEONE HELP HIM!” she screamed for help.
As soon as I heard that, I started running toward the well and jumped inside it.
And that's how I got into this situation.
I detected no foul play inside the well when I rescued the kid, so he legitimately just slipped into the well.
Right now I was climbing while cradling the kid with my left hand, using my abilities to keep me glued to the well's walls. As for why I didn't just fly out of there, it was because it was a well, so there wasn't any wind in there. Moreover, I had a child on my arm. I had to keep him steady while I climbed out.
As I was climbing out, I heard multiple voices from above.
”I can see him! He also got the kid!” said a guy's voice.
”I can see them too! They're slowly going up the well!” said another guy's voice.
'Men's voices?... A crowd. The mother that cried for help probably drew a significant crowd toward her.' I deduced.
”Bonta! Are you there?!” came a woman's voice from above.
”Mom?! Is that you?!” the kid replied.
”Bonta!”
”Mom!”
'… I better get out of here quickly before I go deaf from the reverberations this mother-child duo make.'
With that motivation in mind, I redoubled my climbing speed.
After I grabbed the top of the well, I was just starting to drag both of us out, but as soon as our heads popped out, celebration roars came out from the nearby crowd.
A woman, whom I presumed to be the kid's mother, grabbed the kid from my arm and started a tear jerking hug party.
Several old men also started pulling me out by my arm. It took me a second to figure out what they were doing before I unglued my hands and feet from the well.
Finally, after they pulled me out, all of the men started praising me.
”Good job, kid! You saved that child.”
”I heard you immediately jumped in to save the child! You're pretty brave for an outsider!”
”You're also pretty strong kid, climbing while carrying the child; you must have strong muscles to do that!”
All of them praised me non-stop for a full minute. I know they mean what they say, but can I at least have a beautiful woman praise all my hard work, not all these old men damnit!
”Um.” A woman's voice could be heard clearly amidst all the old men's voices.
All of the men, including me, looked toward the voice.
It was the mother and child duo.
The men made way for them to get to me.
”We are very grateful for your help.”
”Thank you, Onii-san.”
Both of them bowed deeply to me.
I was dumbfounded for a second but I smiled and replied to them.
”Yes, I accept your gratitude.”
Both of them rose from their bow but the mother's face appeared to be troubled.
”Um, about the compensation-” ”No, there's no need for any compensation.” I immediately stopped her from continuing her sentence. From the looks of her clothes, she was from the commoner folks; I'll definitely feel super bad if she gave me her money or something even though she's already poor.
”I never expected any compensation when I helped; I only helped because the child was in trouble, so you don't need to repay me anything.” I explained.
”R-really, you don't need anything?” she asked nervously.
”Yeah, a man never goes back on his word.” I said proudly.
”…Then, once again, I express my gratitude.” She bowed deeply to me again.
”S…so cool, onii-san is so cool!” the kid's eyes gleamed brightly.
”GWAHAHAHAHA, ATTA BOY!”
”YOU ALREADY BECAME A SPLENDID MAN AFTER YOU SAID THOSE WORD!”
All the old men started laughing loudly around us.
'… So loud!' I was annoyed with the loudness but kept smiling for my image.
”Then come to the bar kid, I will treat you to sake!”
”Oi, the Harvest Festival is a few days from now, we gotta finish the preparation first, DUMBASS!”
'Harvest festival?'
”Oh yeah, I forgot. Then, kid, what's your name?”
”It's Arah, sir.”
”Then Arah-boy, come to the Harvest Festival, we will treat you to delicious sake. Now that everything's settled, GET BACK TO WORK PEOPLE!” he shouted at the crowd.
The crowd started to disperse, including me. I said goodbye to the mother and child duo before going to my new destination.
Hieda Mansion.
-Hieda Mansion-
”Ah, yes, the village will hold the Harvest Festival in a few days; I did plan to tell Arah-sa-” ”Arah.” I cut her off mid-sentence. ”… tell Arah-san about it tomorrow.” She still continued the sentence with an indifference voice.
”… Aw, she still won't say it.” I said with disappointed face.
We were sitting facing each other in the mansion's main room, Akyuu sitting in seiza, while I was in my crossed-leg style, as usual. And also, this thing appeared while I was on my way here.
[Achievement Alert]
[Common Folk's Hero]
[Be the Hero that the common folk needed]
[Reward: 20,000 AP & IP]
They say ”Turn down the reward from the poor and you shall see the real reward”, now I really believe it.
”… It's embarrassing so I won't say it.”
”But you said it normally with Kosuzu, though.”
”That's because she's my friend, so I can call her whatever I want.”
”… Then what am I to you?”
”T-that's… um…” she seemed surprised with my sudden question.
”…” I stayed silent, waiting for her answer.
”Legs... Yes, Arah-san, you're none other than my legs.” She said, awkwardly smiling while pointing at me.
I stared, wide eyed at Akyuu, a bit dumbfounded with her answer. Bamboozled? Yes. Entertained? Absolutely.
”Heh-Haha-Hahahaha-Hahahaha.” I started laughing.
”W-what's so funny about that?!” she started tearing up, probably embarrassed that I laughed at her answer.
”Hehaha, legs, I'm Akyuu's legs, hahaha... Yes, I'm indeed her legs,” I was still laughing at her.
”…Mu…” she pouted.
”Aw, our Akyuu-chan is pouting.”
*pat* *pat* I pat her.
”STOP PATTING ME!” she was mad.
”*pat* *pat* ”Hahahahahaha.” I continued patting.
'I can't believe I got nervous there. Guess it's pretty justified that you would feel down if you're rejected by the person you're helping.'
-At The Foot of Youkai Mountain-
”So, your clan supposedly invites a harvest goddess every year?” I asked.
”Yes, the name of the harvest goddess in Gensokyo is Aki Minoriko, and we usually invite her as a special guest every year.” replied Akyuu.
Akyuu and I were walking together at the edge of the forest, searching for the harvest goddess. At first we held hands but she rejected it by saying she's already an adult so she doesn't need to hold hands… So cute. The servants also asked if she needed a guard. Akyuu said no need for a guard, because I'm with her.